-%  "■' 


-^#^; 


-^>- 


:  ^■ 


^  ^^\ 


■.^^, 


'.'* « 


ir:^  . 


1^ 


y^.'M 


*^^^^  ^^^0^ 


'j*Y"*h^^  WJ 


^/  /~27 


V  V 


I  THEOLOGICAL  SEMINARY,  | 


Princeton,  N.  J. 


* 


^ 


€^ 


Bequeathed  by  the  Hon.  E.  BOUDINOT,  LL.D. 


j  Shelf,  sec^:, 


r'f 


V 


A  BRIEF  ACCOUNT 


PROCEEDINGS  OF  THE  COMMITTEE, 

APPOINTED  IN  THE  YEAR  1795 


YEARLY  MEETING  OF  FRIENDS 


PENNSYLVANIA,  NEW-JERSEY,  &c. 


FOR   PROMOTING  THE 


IMPROVEMENT  AND  GRADUAL  CIVILIZATION 


THE    INDIAN   NATIVES. 


PHILADELPHIA .-  ,   ^ 

PRINTED  BY  KIMBER,  CONRAD,  &  CO, 


1805-. 


Extract  from  the  Minutes  of  the  Tearly  Meetingy 
held  in  Philadelphia^  4-th  Month,  1805. 

THE  Committee  appointed  to  promote  the 
civilization  and  well-being  of  the  Indian  na- 
tives, mentioning  in  their  report  read  yesterday, 
that  they  had  prepared  a  summary  of  their  pro- 
ceedings from  their  first  nomination  to  the  pre- 
sent time,  this,  together  with  a  statement  of 
their  accounts  being  now  read,  afforded  general 
satisfaction,  and  the  Committee  on  this  concern 
are  left  at  liberty  to  print  as  many  of  them  for  the 
information  of  Friends,  as,  on  solid  considera- 
tion, they  may  judge  expedient.  The  funds 
raised  by  the  liberal  contributions  of  Friends  for 
carrying  on  this  benevolent  work,  being  so  far 
exhausted,  that  the  remaining  balance  appearing 
inadequate  to  the  various  disbursements  which 
the  further  prosecution  of  the  business  will  con- 
sequently occasion,  it  is  desired  that  Quarterly 
and  Monthly  meetings  would  encourage  and  cir- 
culate subscriptions  among  their  members,  that 
renewed  aid  may  be  obtained ;  and  forward  the 
amount  to  John  Elliott,  Treasurer  of  that  Com- 
mittee. 


A  BRIEF  ACCOUNT 

OF  THE 

PROCEEDINGS  OF  THE  COMMITTEE 

APPOINTED  IN  THE  YEAR  1795 

BY    THE 

YEARLY  MEETING  OF  FRIENDS 

OF 

PENNSYLVANIA,  NEW-JERSEY,  &c. 

For  Promoting  the  Improvement  and  gradual  Civilization 
of  the  Indian  Natives, 


THE  Committee,  after  freely  conferring  on 
the  objects  of  their  appointment,  and  carefully 
considering  the  means  most  likely  to  promote 
them,  believed  it  proper  to  learn  the  disposition 
of  the  various  tribes  in  the  vicinity,  of  this 
state,  and  prepare  their  minds  for  the  recep- 
tion of  the  intended  aid.  With  this  view  circular 
letters  from  the  Committee  were,  in  1796,  ad- 
dressed to  various  tribes,  accompanied  with  one 
from  the  secretary  of  state,  expressive  of  the  ap- 
probation of  our  prospects  by  the  executive  of 
the  United  States.     These  letters  in  a  guarded 


manner  communicated  to  the  Indians  our  inten- 
tion of  aiding  and  encouraging  such  as  should  ear- 
ly apply  to  us.  The  Oneidas,  and  those  Indians 
settled  on  the  Oneida  reservation,  comprehend- 
ing the  Stockbridge,  and  a  part  of  the  Tus- 
caroras,  were  the  only  tribes  who,  at  that  time, 
appeared  willing  to  be  instructed  in  husbandry, 

;&c. 

In  the  summer  of  1796,  three  Friends,  approved 
by  the  Committee,  settled  among  the  Oneidas  : 
they  were  accompanied  by  a  few  of  the  mem^ 
bers,  who  made  sundry  propositions  which  they 
thought  most  likely  to  stimulate  and  encourage 
the  Indians  to  cultivate  their  land.  To  these  the 
nation  generally  agreed;  but  it  was  soon  found  the 
Indians,  with  a  very  few  exceptions,  were  not 
only  unaccustomed,  but  averse  to  labour  ;  those 
who  began  to  work  grew  weary  of  it,  and  gave 
out.  The  Friends  then  proceeded  to  improve  a 
piece  of  land  without  assistance  from  the  natives, 
hoping  some  of  them  would  be  induced  to  fol- 
low the  example  :  they  also  repaired  and  work- 
ed a  saw-mill  belonging  to  the  Oneidas,  and  seve- 
ral of  the  Indians  acquired  a  competent  know* 
ledge  of  that  business. 

They  opened  a  school  for  the  instructidft  of 
the  children  the  succeeding  winter,  and  continued 


It    throw gh    every  winter  whilst  they    resided 
amongst  them. 

An  Indian,  well  qvialified  by  an  education  in 
New-England,  taught  the  Stock  bridge  children, 
and  was  allowed  a  salary  by  the  Committee,  for 
several  years. 

In  1797  but  little  improvement  was  made  by 
the  Oneidas,  sickness  prevailing  much  among 
them,  which  the  Friends  did  not  wholly  escape, 
yet  they  were  enabled  to  instruct  and  assist  the 
Stockbridge  Indians  in  erecting  a  grist-mill. 

They  also  distributed  a  considerable  number 
of  implements  of  husbandry  among  the  Onan- 
dago  and  CayUga  nations. 

In  the  spring  of  1798  one  of  the  Friends  be- 
ing disqualified  by  sickness  for  much  labour,  a 
proposition  was  made  to  hire  some  Indians  to 
assist  in  improving  the  land  allotted  for  a  farm  ; 
but  they  were  so  irregular  in  working  that  the 
plan  was  abandoned  ;  some  days  near  thirty 
would  come  to  work,  and  other  days  scarcely 
one  was  to  be  had.  They  therefore  engaged  a 
number  of  lads  and  young  men  whom  they  board- 
ed, and  allowed  a  reasonable  compensation  for 
their  labour.  At  this  time  some  improvement 
had  taken  place ;  many  of  the  Indian  men  would 


assist  their  wives  in  working  their  little  lots  of 
land ;  but  they  experienced  some  difficulty  from 
the  want  of  a  blacksmith  to  make  and  repair  their 
farming  tools.  A  Friend  well  qualified  to  instruct 
them  in  that  business,  offering  his  service  to  the 
Committee,  it  was  accepted ;  and  his  wife  being 
disposed  to  go  with  him,  another  woman  Friend 
who  also  felt  a  concern  to  go,  was  encouraged 
to  accompany  her  under  a  hope  that  the  two 
women  Friends  might  be  usefully  employed  in 
instructing  the  Indian  women  and  girls.  A 
commodious  dweUing-house,  barn,  &c.  were 
built  this  year  on  the  farm,  and  the  Indian  lads 
and  young  men  were  usefully  employed  in  culti- 
vating it;  a  large  quantity  of  grain,  hay,  Sec.  was 
raised  therefrom,  affording  ample  proof  to  the 
natives  of  the  beneficial  effects  of  cultivation. 
Several  of  them  acquired  considerable  knowledge 
of  the  blacksmith  business,  and  many  of  their 
young  women  and  girls  were  instructed  in  spin- 
ning, knitting,  sewing,  school-learning,  &c. 

In  the  year  1799  several  of  the  Indians  im- 
proved lots  of  land  for  their  own  benefit,  which 
they  sowed  with  wheat.  The  smiths  business 
continued  to  be  attended  to,  and  Friends  with 
the  aid  of  the  Indian  lads  continued  to  work 
their  farms ;  nor  were  their  exertions  either 
during  this,  or  any  former  year,  confined  to  their 
immediate  residence,  but  as  opportunities  for 


usefulness  presented,  they  extended  their  labours 
to  the  various  parts  of  the  settlement,  and  afford- 
ed assistance  many  ways,  as  the  necessities  of  the 
natives  seemed  to  demand. 

It  may  be  proper  here  to  remark  that  some  sus- 
picion and  mistrust  of  Friends  views,  became 
manifest  in  several  of  the  Indians  ;  they  knew 
that  the  improvements  made,  and  the  various 
tools  and  implements  of  husbandry  distribut- 
ed among  them,  must  have  cost  a  large  sum  of 
money  ;  and  they  knew  of  no  instance  where 
white  people  had  stepped  forward  in  such  a  man- 
ner to  assist  Indians,  but  what  sooner  or  later  an 
interested  motive  discovered  itself;  therefore 
some  had  fears  it  was  meant  to  make  a  permanent 
establishment  among  them,  and  lay  claim  to  a 
part  of  their  land. 

Believing  the  instruction  already  afforded  this 
people  was  such  that  they  were  enabled  to  pro- 
cure a  comfortable  subsistence,  it  was  concluded 
to  withdraw  from  them  ;  and  that  leaving  all  the 
improvements,  tools  and  implements  of  husban- 
dry  for  their  use  and  benefit,  would  be  a  con- 
vincing testimony  among  the  various  tribes  of 
Indians,  that  their  good  was  our  motive  for 
thus  liberally  aiding  them. 

Therefore  in  the  9th  Month,  1799,  four  of  the 
Committee  went  to  Oneida,  and  after  some  friendr 
B 


10 

\y  conferences,  closed  the  affairs  relating  to  the 
settlement  there.  The  hidians  on  this  occasi- 
on expressed  themselves  as  follows,  in  reply  to  a 
written  address  : 

''Brothers  Onas  attend, 

*.'  We  know  you  told  us  you  came  not  amongst 
us  to  make  us  presents  that  would  soon  wear  a- 
way,  but  to  stay  some  time  to  instruct  us  how  to 
gain  a  comfortable  living  by  tilling  the  ground, 
as  the  white  people  do  ;  now  you  have  staid  the 
time  you  proposed,  and  have  fulfilled  all  your  en- 
gagements to  our  nation,  and  we  hope  we  shall 
follow  the  good  example  you  have  set  before  us, 
which  we  know  would  be  of  lasting  benefit  to  us, 
and  thankfully  acknowledge  your  kindness,  hav- 
ing never  heard  of  any  people  that  had  done  so 
much  for  Indians  without  any  view  of  advantage 
to  themselves,  which  is  a  convincing  proof  to  us 
that  you  are  our  real  friends  :  and  we  are  glad 
the  good  Spirit  has  put  it  into  your  minds  to  as- 
sist others  of  our  Indian  brethren,  in  learning  the 
same  good  way  of  living  for  which  we  also  thank 
you,  as  well  as  for  the  good  advice  you  gave  us 
about  the  strong  drink  ;  and  we  will  try  all  we 
can  to  persuade  our  young  men  to  do  better. 

"  And  now,  Brothers,  if  we  have  done  any 
thing  that  displeases  you,  we  wish  you  would 
tell  us,  that  our  friendship  may  remain  bright, 
for  we  knov/  you  are  a  true  people,  and  we 


11 

will  keep  this  writing,  and  will  tell  our  young 
men  and  children  every  year,  that  they  may  al- 
ways remember  your  friendship  ;  and  we  wish 
you  may  often  remember  and  visit  us,  to  see 
whether  we  grow  better  or  worse." 

In  addition  to  the  assistance  afforded  this  peo- 
ple at  their  own  settlement,  several  of  their  girls 
and  young  women  were  brought  into  the  neigh- 
bourhood of  Philadelphia,  and  placed  in  Friends 
families,  where  besides  learning  to  read  and 
write,  they  received  such  other  instruction  as 
was  likely  to  be  most  useful  to  them  on  their 
return  home  :  they  were  from  the  three  nations 
of  Stockbridge,  Oneida,  and  Tuscarora. 

A  letter  from  one  of  these  young  women,  writ- 
ten by  herself,  in  the  9th  Month  1803,  to  one  of 
the  women  Friends  who  had  resided  at  Oneida, 
contains  the  following : 

"  I  have  spun  some  flaxe  and  woole  since  I 
^'came  home  and  made  some  cheese,  to  show 
"our  Indians  how  to  make  cheese,  they  been 
"very  much  pleas'd  to  know  how  to  make 
"  chees,  some  said  they  never  thought  Indians 
"  could  make  cheese  so  well.  They  been  try  to 
"keep  thear  cows  ever  since  to  make  cheese, 
"  and  butter,  some  of  them  begin  to  sewe  some 
"  flax,  and  good  many  of  our  Indian  got  sheepe 
"  and  they  found  very  good  to  keep  sheep,  meat 


X2 

'"*  good  to  eat  and  wool  good  for  cloth.  I  hope 
*'  we  will  do  better  ever  year,  good  many  has 
"left  of  drinking  and  some  of  them  drink  very 
*'  heard  yet.  I  have  been  to  see  Oneidas,  not 
*'  longe  go  ;  I  found  they  improve  very  much 
*'  since  thee  come  away,  good  many  has  new 
"  frame  houses  and  frame  barns,  they  improvese 
"  very  much  ever  since  they  left  of  drinking.  I 
*'  believe  three  hundred  of  man  and  women  both 
*'  left  of  drinking  this  some  time  I ;  hope  they  will 
*'keep  their  words  good,"  &c. 

The  beneficial  effects  of  the  labours  at  Oneida, 
^having  been  observed  by  the  Seneca  Indians,  it 
opened  the  way  for  an  introduction  among  them, 
and  Friends  were  invited  into  their  country. 
Three  Friends  who  offered  their  services  to  go 
and  instruct  them,  being  accompanied  by  two 
of  the  Committee,  arrived  in  the  5th  Month 
1798,  at  the  Indian  towns  on  the  Alleghany  ri- 
ver, where  they  met  with  a  friendly  reception. 

A  general  council  was  called,  and  the  motives 
of  the  visit  were  explained.  The  Indians  ex- 
pressed their  thankfulness  to  the  great  Spirit,  for 
Friends  safe  arrival  amongst  them,  but  queried 
how  Indians  could  learn  to  plough,  and  do  what 
was  proposed,  seeing  they  had  no  horses  or  oxen, 
and  were  poor,  living  in  cabins  covered  with 
bark.  Friends  told  them,  great  matters  were  not 
expected  at  once,  but  it  was  wished  they  would 


13 

make  a  beginning ;  that  they  had  two  horses 
which  perhaps  might  be  taught  to  draw  a  plough: 
and  as  they  had  an  annuity  paid  them  by  the 
United  States,  they  might  save  some  of  it  to  buy 
oxen  ;  and  then  allusion  was  made  to  their  great 
intemperance,  many  both  men  and  women  hav- 
ing been  seen  intoxicated. 

At  another  council,  Cornplanter,  their  chief, 
made  a  speech,  of  which  the  following  is  an  ex- 
tract : 

"  Brothers  the  Quakers, 

"Listen  now  to  what  I  am  going  to  say  to 
you  ;  you  know,  brothers,  the  red  people  are 
poor,  they  are  not  like  the  white  people,  the 
Great  Spirit  has  made  them  of  another  lan- 
guage ;  so  that  it  is  very  hard  for  us  to  under- 
stand one  another  plainly. 

*'  Brothers,  we  suppose  the  reason  you  came 
here  was  to  help  poor  Indians  some  way  or 
other ;  and  you  wish  the  chiefs  to  tell  their  war- 
riors not  to  go  on  so  bad  as  they  have  done  ;  and 
you  wish  us  to  take  up  work  like  the  white  peo- 
ple. Now,  Brothers,  some  of  our  sober  men  will 
take  up  work  and  do  as  you  say,  and  if  they  do 
well  then  your  young  men  will  stay  longer,  but 
some  others  will  not  mind  what  you  say. 


14 

"  Brothers,  we  can't  say  a  word  against  you, 
it  is  the  best  way  to  call  Quakers  Brothers ; 
you  never  wished  any  part  of  our  lands,  there- 
fore we  are  determined  to  try  to  learn  your 
ways  ;  and  these  young  men  may  stay  here  two 
years  to  try,  and  then  if  they  like  it,  and  we  like 
it,  your  young  men  may  stay  longer." 

In  reply,  they  were  informed  that  our  young 
Friends  must  have  some  place  to  live  in,  and  a 
piece  of  land  to  work,  in  order  to  set  them  an  ex- 
ample, and  raise  bread  for  themselves  to  eat; 
but  that  the  land  should  still  be  theirs ;  and  all 
the  improvements  put  upon  it,  should  also  be 
theirs,  when  it  was  left.  Further,  that  a  number 
of  hoes,  axes,  scythes,  several  sets  of  plough 
irons  and  other  farming  implements ;  also  carpen- 
ters', masons',  and  coopers'  tools  were  coming 
up  in  a  boat,  which  were  intended  for  the  gene- 
ral use  of  the  settlement,  and  would  be  placed 
under  the  care  of  the  young  men,  to  lend  to  such 
Indians  as  wanted  to  use  them,  and  although 
they  would  be  left  with  them,  and  never  taken 
away  by  us,  yet  we  did  not  think  it  prudent  to 
distribute  them  as  a  gift  at  present ;  for  they 
knew  some  of  their  people  were  not  very  good, 
and  such  might  pawn  or  sell  them  for  whiskey, 
and  then  they  would  be  as  bad  off  as  they  were 
before. 


15 

After  looking  about  the  country,  Friends  fixed 
on  an  ancient  village  called  Genesangohta  as 
the  place  of  their  residence ;  a  few  Indian  fami- 
lies live  there  ;  it  is  situate  near  the  line  dividing 
New- York  from  Pennsylvania,  and  nearly  in 
the  centre  of  the  Indian  settlements  on  the  Al- 
leghany river  ;  many  living  from  five  to  ten 
miles  above,  and  their  largest  town  called  Jen- 
eshadago  is  nine  miles  below. 

At  a  conference  with  the  natives  previous  to 
the  two  members  of  the  Committee  returning 
home,  among  other  things,  the  oppressive  la- 
bour required  of  their  women,  was  laid  before 
them,  that  it  was  not  right  to  suffer  their  wo- 
men to  work  all  day  in  the  fields  and  woods,  ei- 
ther in  cultivating  with  the  hoe  all  that  was  rais- 
ed for  their  subsistence,  or  getting  fire- wood 
and  bringing  it  home  on  their  backs,  whilst  the 
men  and  boys  were  at  the  same  time  amusing 
themselves  with  shooting  arrows  from  their 
bows,  or  some  such  diversions. 

They  were  recommended  to  begin  our  way, 
and  take  their  boys  out  to  hoe,  &c.  reminding 
them  it  was  from  the  Good  Spirit  they  and  we 
received  every  good  thing  ;  that  they  were  equal- 
ly, with  the  white  people,  objects  of  his  tender 
care  and  regard ;  and  that  the  great  disparity 
they  so  frequently  spoke  of  between  themselves 
and  the  white  people,  with  regard  to  poverty  and 


16 

plenty,  was  the  natural  result  of  the  different 
plans  pursued  to  obtain  the  blessings  of  this 
life  ;  and  as  their  ground  was  equally  good  with 
that  possessed  by  the  white  people,  it  would  al- 
so be  equally  productive,  if  the  same  industry 
and  methods  of  farming  were  pursued. 

In  a  letter  from  the  Friends  residing  among  the 
Indians,  dated  1st  Month,  1799,  they  mention 
that  several  of  the  young  men  manifest  some 
willingness  to  labour  ;  and  that  in  the  preceding 
fall,  they  had  employed  one  to  work  a  while 
with  them.  A  school  was  kept  this  winter  which 
was  attended  by  a  few  children. 

In  a  letter  from  one  of  the  Friends  dated  3d 
Month,  1799,  he  mentions  that  the  Indians  were 
very  desirous  to  build  themselves  better  houses, 
our  Friends  having  then  erected  a  good  log 
house,  covered  with  shingles;  and  further,  that 
three  old  Indian  men,  with  their  assistance  and 
instruction,  very  soon  learned  to  make  shingles. 

In  the  9th  Month  of  this  year,  four  of  the  Com- 
mittee  visited  this  settlement,  one  of  whom  had 
been  there  in  the  spring  of  last  year  when 
Friends  were  first  introduced  into  this  country, 
and  consequently  was  enabled  to  form  a  correct 
opinion  of  the  improvements  made.  Several  of 
the  Indians  were  buildi.ig  good  log-houses, 
which  were  either  roofed,  or  intended  to  be  roof- 


17 

ed  with  shingles.  Their  crop  of  corn  was  much 
larger  than  what  they  raised  when  Friends  went 
there  ;  and  several  small  lots  of  land  were  under 
good  fence.  A  council  being  convened,  a  speech 
was  made  to  the  Indians,   of  which  the  folio  w- 


"  Brothers, 

"  It  has  aiforded  us  satisfaction  in  passing 
through  your  town,  to  notice  marks  of  indus- 
try taking  place ;  that  you  are  building  better 
and  warmer  houses  to  live  in,  and  that  so  much 
of  your  cleared  land  is  planted  with  corn,  beans, 
potatoes,  &c.  and  to  see  these  articles  kept  in 
good  order. 

"  Brothers,  we  observe  where  your  new  hous- 
es are  building,  that  the  timber  is  very  much 
cut  off  a  rich  flat,  which  we  wish  you  encourag- 
ed to  clear  and  make  fit  for  ploughing;  we 
hope  more  of  your  men  will  assist  in  clearing 
and  fencing  land,  and  planting  it  with  corn  ;  al- 
so sowing  it  with  wheat  ;  you  will  then  have  a 
supply  of  provision  more  certain  to  depend  upon 
than  hunting. 

"  Brothers,  we  are  pleased  to  see  your   stock 
of  cattle  encreased  ;    the  rich  bottoms  on  the  ri- 
ver will  be  plenty  for  them  to  live  on  in  the  sum- 
mer season  ;  but  as  your  winters   are  long  and 
C 


18 

cold,  it  will  require  something  for  them  to  live 
on  in  the  winter.  The  white  people  keep  their 
cattle  on  hay,  on  straw,  and  on  corn  fodder. 
Straw  you  cannot  get  until  you  raise  wheat  oro- 
ther  grain  ;  the  rich  bottoms  if  put  in  order  would 
produce  a  great  deal  of  hay.  But  for  an  imme- 
diate supply,  we  think,  as  soon  as  you  gather 
the  corn,  if  you  would  cut  the  stalks  close  at  the 
ground,  bind  them  up  in  small  bundles,  and 
put  them  in  stacks  as  our  young  men  do,  they 
would  keep  your  cattle  part  of  the  cold  wea- 
ther. 

"  Brothers,  we  are  pleased  to  see  a  quantity  of 
fence  made  this  summer,  and  we  would  not 
have  you  discouraged  at  the  labour  it  takes  ; 
for  if  you  will  clear  a  little  more  land  every 
year,  and  fence  it,  you  will  soon  get  enough 
to  raise  what  bread  you  want,  as  well  as  some 
for  grass  to  make  hay  for  your  cattle  in  winter. 

"Brothers,  we  understand  you  are  desirous 
to  discourage  whiskey  from  being  brought  a- 
mong  you,  with  which  we  are  much  pleased, 
and  should  be  glad  you  could  entirely  keep  it 
a\^  ay  :  to  get  it  you  give  your  money  with  which 
you  should  buy  clothing,  oxen,"  &c. 

The  Indians  were  also  informed  that  one  of 
the  young  men  who  had  been  there  since  the  set- 
tlement was  first  formed  (about  sixteen  months) 


19 

appeared  most  easy  to  leave  them  and  return  to 
his  friends  before  winter ;  they  hoped  another 
would  offer  to  supply  his  place. 

Cornplanter,  on  behalf  of  the  nation,  made  a 
reply  in  substance  as  follows  : 

*'  That  when  our  young  Friends  first  settled 
among  them,  many  of  his  chiefs  were  averse  to 
it ;  they  had  this  summer  several  councils  among 
themselves  respecting  the  young  men,  and  all 
the  chiefs  seeing  their  good  conduct  and  readi- 
ness to  assist  Indians,  were  now  well  satisfied. 
He  hoped  several  of  his  young  men  would  do 
more  at  farming  than  heretofore,  and  Friends 
must  not  get  discouraged  because  so  little  was 
done ;  but  exercise  patience  towards  them,  as  it 
was  hard  for  them  to  make  much  change  from 
their  ancient  customs.  He  regretted  the  loss  of 
the  Friend  who  expected  to  leave  them  soon  ; 
he  said  he  had  been  useful  to  him  in  keeping 
whiskey,  and  other  strong  liquor  out  of  the  town; 
that  they  now  drank  much  less  than  formerly, 
but  feared  when  the  Friend  was  gone  he  should 
not  keep  it  away  so  well  as  he  had  lately  done." 

The  Indians  had  not  yet  raised  wheat  or  other 
small  grain,    nor  begun  to  use  a  plough. 

Friends  went  from  this  settlement  to  the  Cata- 
rogus  river,  distant  about  forty -five  miles,  where  a 
large  number  of  Senecas  reside,  who  hadrequest- 


20 

cd  a  set  of  sawmill  irons  and  other  aid.  The 
chiefs  being  generally  from  home,  a  letter  was 
left  w  ith  a  white  man  at  Buffaloe,  who  has  been 
adopted  into  their  nation,  informing  them  that  a 
set  of  sawmill  irons  would  be  given  them  when 
they  were  prepared  to  build  a  mill ;  and  if  they 
left  off  their  very  intemperate  use  of  strong  drink, 
it  might  be  some  encouragement  to  help  them 
further. 

In  the  latter  part  of  this  year,  Cornplanter  ac- 
companied the  Friend  who  was  returning  home, 
as  far  as  Canandaiqua,  where  the  superintendant 
of  Indian  aftairs  resided  ;  at  this  place  he  dictated 
a  letter  to  one  of  the  Committee;  the  superin- 
tendant wrote  it,  and  Cornplanter  signed  it  with 
his  mark.  The  following  is  an  extract  therefrom  : 

*'  I  thank  the  Great  Spirit  for  his  protection  in 
preserving  me  and  my  friend  who  I  have  accom- 
panied to  this  place.  I  hope  the  Great  Spirit  will 
still  preserve  my  friend  on  his  journey  to  Phila- 
delphia ;  and  every  evening  when  night  shall  over- 
take him,  the  Great  Spirit  will  spread  over  him 
a  curtain  of  safety,  that  he  may  again  meet  the 
society  that  sent  him  among  us  for  the  pur- 
pose of  teaching  us  the  useful  arts  of  the  white 
people ;  and  to  return  them  my  thanks  for  their 
kind  offices  which  they  are  disposed  to  bestow 
on  us.  I  cannot  omit  this  favourable  opportuni- 
ty to  inform  you  that  I  believe  the  Friends  who 


21 

have  been  placed  at  the  Alleghany,  have  discharg- 
ed the  trust  committed  to  them,  in  endeavour- 
ing to  do  for  us  the  best  that  .they  could  for  our 
advantage.  Dear  friend,  when  I  first  heard  your 
voice  and  learned  your  kind  offers  to  us,  I  was 
pleased,  as  I  thought  we  were  apt  to  transgress 
the  good  rules  of  the  Great  Spirit ;  and  by  the 
aid  and  advice  of  your  people,  the  Great  Spirit 
would  lend  us  his  aid,  in  which  we  might  become 
a  better  people  ;  and  hope  you  will  not  be  discou- 
raged in  still  aiding  us,  although  we  make  slow 
progress  in  the  arts  of  the  white  people." 

In  the  12th  month,  the  Indians  at  Catarogus 
sent  a  reply  to  the  letter  which  our  Committee 
left  for  them  :  they  say, 

"  The  instructions  that  you  gave,  pleases  us 
very  much  in  general ;  you  may  rely  upon  it  that 
we  are  going  to  follow  your  directions  ;  we  have 
fully  determined  to  leave  off  drinking  whiskey, 
and  if  there  comes  traders  on,  wc  have  determin- 
ed to  order  them  off  the  ground. 

"  Friends  Quakers,  We  hope  you  will  keep 
your  minds  strong  as  you  was  at  first,  and  we* 
return  you  great  many  thanks  for  the  kindness 
you  have  done  already." 

A  school  was  kept  during  the  winter,  but  at- 
tended by  only  a  few  c.iildren. 


22 

In  the  summer  of  1800,  another  of  the  Friends 
left  this  settlement ;  two  of  those  who  had  resi-^ 
did  at  Oneida,  ha-y^ing  previously  gone  there,  the 
Indians  made  some  improvement  this  year.  A 
pair  of  oxen  which  they  purchased  were  found  ve- 
ry serviceable  in  drawing  fire-wood,  Sec.  As  yet 
they  had  not  begun  to  plough.  A  small  school 
was  again  attended  to,  but  the  Indians  not  pro- 
moting the  attendance  of  their  children,  no 
regular  school  was  afterwards  kept,  but  instruc- 
tion afforded  to  several  of  the  children  at  conve- 
nient opportunities. 

The  Friends  settled  at  Genesangohta,  in  a  let^ 
ter  dated  8th  month,  1801,  mention,  "It  is  appre- 
hended that  a  much  greater  proportion  of  useful 
labour  has  been  performed  the  present  season 
on  this  river  than  has  heretofore  been  done  in  the 
same  space  of  time;  and  the  prudence  manifested 
amongst  the  natives  in  expending  the  present 
year's  annuity,  affords  encouragement  to  hope, 
that  the  labour  and  concern  of  society  for  their 
welfare,  will  not  be  fruitless  :  divers  have  pur- 
chased cows,  &c.  for  the  use  of  their  families. 
The  Indians  belonging  to  the  upper  settlement 
on  the  river,  have  reserved  money  sufficient  to 
purchase  a  yoke  of  oxen ;  some  others  are  about 
to  train  young  cattle  for  work,  of  their  own  rear- 
ing. The  increasing  attention  that  prevails  a- 
mongst  them  in  rearing  cattle,  hogs,  he.  afl'brds 
a  prospect  that  they  will,  erelong,  have  a  suffici- 


23 

ent  number  of  useful  animals  :  several  are  prepar- 
ing ground  in  order  to  sow  wheat,  and  expect  to 
have  it  in  readiness  this  season. 

In  the  9th  month  of  this  year,  three  of  the 
Committee  visited  the  settlement,  being  accom- 
panied by  a  young  Friend,  a  blacksmith,  who  went 
to  instruct  some  of  the  Indians  in  that  useful 
and  necessary  occupation.  Two  of  the  visitors 
had  been  there  before.  The  preceding  spring  the 
Indians  first  began  to  use  a  plough  ;  the  men  per- 
formed tlie  labour  with  a  little  instruction  and 
assistance  from  Friends;  they  took  a  very  cauti- 
ous method  of  determining  whether  it  was  like- 
ly to  be  an  advantageous  change  for  them  or 
not;  several  parts  of  a  very  large  field  were  plough- 
ed and  thfe  intermediate  spaces  prepared  by  their 
women  with  the  hoe  according  to  ancient  cus- 
tom ;  it  was  all  planted  with  corn  ;^  the  parts 
ploughed,  besides  the  great  saving  of  labour,  pro- 
duced much  the  heaviest  crop,  the  stalks  being 
more  than  a  foot  higher  and  proportionably  stout- 
er than  those  on  the  hoed  ground.  The  corn  was 
now  ripe  and  gathering  in,  and  as  their  stock  of 
cattle  was  much  increased,  instead  of  letting  the 
stalks  and  leaves  perish  on  the  ground  as  hereto- 
fore, they  preserved  them  for  winter  fodder ; 
several  of  them  had  mown  grass,  and  made  small 
stacks  of  hay  ;  they  had  made  a  fence  about  tv.o 
miles  long  which  incloses  the  lower  town  and  a 
large  body  of  adjacent  land  fronting  on  the  river  ; 


24. 

also  several  other  fences  within  it,  to  separate  the 
corn  ground  from  the  pasture,  &:c. 

The  cabins  which  they  used  to  live  in,  were 
generally  either  gone  to  decay  or  pulled  down  ; 
most  of  them  had  built  good  log  houses  with 
shingled  roofs,  and  some  of  them  with  stone 
chimneys. 

With  the  exception  of  houses  and  fences,  the 
improvements  at  Jeneshadago  did  not  bear  a  com- 
parison with  the  upper  settlements,  where  the 
Indians  live  more  scattered.  Their  thus  settling 
separate  and  detached  from  each  other,  was  alrea- 
dy manifestly  more  to  their  advantage  than  liv- 
ing.together  in  villages;  a  chief  who  is  not  a- 
shamed  to  be  seen  at  work  by  the  women  of  his 
own  family,  would  probably  be  much  mortified, 
were  he  discovered  by  a  number  of  females,  who, 
on  such  occasions,  do  not  always  refrain  from  ri- 
dicule ;  yet  this  false  shame  on  the  part  of  the 
men,  and  ridicule  of  the  women,  is  wearing  away 
in  proportion  as  they  become  familiarized  to 
each  others  assistance  in  their  little  agricultural 
labours. 

Friends  requested  a  council  with  the  chief 
women  of  the  Jeneshadago  town,  which  was  rea- 
dily granted,  when  they  were  favoured  to  make 
some  communications  pertinent  to  their  situa- 
tion.    The  women  expressed  their  thankfulness 


25 

to  the  Great  Spirit  for  aiFording  them  this  coun- 
cil ;  the  words,  they  said,  had  sunk  deep  into 
their  hearts,  and  they  hoped  would  never  be  for- 
gotten by  them.  Cornplanter  and  his  brother 
Conedieu  were  present. 

The  Indians  were  become  very  sober,  gene- 
rally refraining  from  the  use  of  strong  drink, 
both  at  home  and  when  abroad  among  the  white 
people.  One  of  them  observed  to  our  Commit- 
tee, "  No  more  bark  cabin,  but  good  houses; 
no  more  get  drunk  here  now  this  two  year." 

It  was  discovered  that  a  little  uneasiness  or 
suspicion,  was  entertained  by  some  Indians, 
fearing  we  might  at  some  future  time  bring  a 
charge  against  them  for  the  services  we  had  ren- 
dered and  were  rendering.  After  the  first  coun- 
cil was  held  with  them,  and  the  blacksmith  in- 
troduced, with  a  request  that  two  of  their  young 
men  would  learn  the  trade  and  become  qualified 
to  do  their  own  work  when  our  Friend  left 
them,  as  it  was  not  probable  he  would  stay  ve- 
ry long.  They  withdrew  to  hold  a  private  coun- 
cil to  confer  on  the  proposition,  from  which 
they  sent  their  Interpreters  with  the  following 
message  or  queries  to  Friends, 

"  Whether  we  should  at  some  future  time  de- 
mand  from  them  land  or  money  for  the  services 
D 


26 

which  we  had  done,  and  were  doing  for  them  ? 
that  now  they  had  but  little  land  left,  and  if  we 
should  demand  money,  we  knew  they  were  poor 
and  could  not  pay  much. 

They  wished  to  know  very  clear  in  writing 
about  it,  and  would  wait  till  the  writing  was 
ready  ;  also  whether  we  would  leave  the  tools 
for  the  young  men  who  might  learn  the  black- 
smith trade,  when  the  blacksmith  went  home  ; 
or  whether  we  would  take  them  away  : 

To  which  the  following  answer  was  sent  in 
writing. 

"  Brothers, 

"  We  tell  you  now  plainly  as  we  told  you  be- 
fore, that  your  brothers  the  Quakers  do  not 
want  any  of  your  money,  or  any  of  your  skins, 
or  any  of  your  land,  for  any  thing  they  have 
done  for  you,  and  that  they  never  will  bring 
any  charge  against  you  for  any  of  these  things  ; 
and  vv^e  give  you  this  writing  to  keep  for 
ever,  to  make  your  minds  perfectly  easy  in  this 
respect.  About  the  smiths  tools,  we  cannot 
say  much,  but  think  we  shall  leave  them  all 
with  you,  if  some  of  your  young  men  will  learn 
the  trade." 

At  a  council  held  with  them  after  this  writing 
was  given,  they  said, 


t7 

^'  Brothers, 

*'  We  understand  the  writing  which  you  gave 
us  very  well,  and  our  minds  are  now  quite  easy  ; 
two  of  our  young  men  will  learn  the  smiths 
trade,  one  from  the  lower  town,  one  from  the 
upper  town." 

Friends  informed  them  they  were  rejoiced  to 
find  they  had  quit  drinking  whiskey  and  other 
strong  liquors  ;  and  as  they  had  held  fast  this 
good  resolution  so  long,  hoped  they  would  con- 
tinue to  refrain  from  using  it ;  for  they  must  see 
the  good  effects  of  keeping  sober,  and  having 
persons  to  instruct  them  ;  that  when  our  Friends 
came  here  they  had  poor  houses,  many  of  them 
bark  cabins,  and  no  fences.  Now  they  had  most 
of  them  good  warm  houses,  and  many  of  them 
had  good  fences  round  their  lots  ;  some  had 
stacks  of  hay  for  winter  fodder  ;  and  a  few  had 
cleared  land  and  sowed  it  with  wheat  and  other 
grain.  Also  that  their  cattle  were  much  increas- 
ed, all  which  afforded  great  satisfaction. 

It  was  supposed  the  quantity  of  corn,  &c.  raised 
this  year,  was  nearly  tenfold  what  it  was  when 
the  settlement  was  first  formed.  This  fall  a  itw 
of  the  Indians  made  the  first  attempt  to  raise 
wheat.  It  may  be  proper  here  to  remark  that 
those  who  did  something  at  farming,  occasion- 
ally went  out  hunting,  and  many  of  the  men 
adhered  to  the  ancient  customs,  and  left  the  wo- 


28 

men  of  their  families  to  cultivate  with  the  hoc 
what  corn,  &c.  was  needful  for  their  subsistence. 

Friends  went  from  this  place  to  Catarogus ; 
they  had  been  requested  by  the  chiefs  of  that  vil- 
lage to  pay  them  a  visit,  as  their  saw  mill  was 
just  finished  ;  they  had  found  some  difficulty  in 
settling  with  the  millwrights,  and  desired  assis- 
tance to  accommodate  it.  That  as  one  of  the 
Friends  who  resides  at  Genesangohta,  was  ac- 
quainted with  working  a  saw  mill,  they  wished 
him  to  come  and  remain  with  them  till  he  had 
instructed  one  of  their  people  to  take  charge  of 
the  mill.  When  Friends  reached  Catarogus,  the 
Indians  were  engaged  in  performing  one  of 
their  worship  dances,  who  retired  very  quietly  to 
their  respective  habitations  early  in  the  evening, 
and  collected  again  on  the  like  occasion  in  the 
morning. 

The  chief  difficulty  between  them  and  the 
millwrights  was  removed,  and  some  smaller 
matters  were  put  in  a  train  of  amicable  adjust- 
ment. The  Friend  they  requested,  agreed  to  re- 
main with  them  awhile,  and  to  instruct  one  or 
more  of  their  people  how  to  work  the  mill. 

The  following  is  an  extract  of  the  speech  of 
tlieir  chief  warrior  on  behalf  of  the  nation  : 


29 

*'  Brothers, 

"  You  have  come  at  a  time  which  has  by  us 
been  previously  set  apart  for  performing  worship 
to  the  Good  Spirit,  after  our  ancient  customs. 
It  is  our  way  of  worship,  and  to  us  solemn  and 
serious,  and  not  to  be  made  light  of;  however 
different  it  may  be  from  your  mode,  it  is  after 
the  manner  our  forefathers  have  taught  us.  We 
hope  you  will  excuse  us  for  not  being  so  atten- 
tive to  you  as  we  could  wish,  and  would  have 
been,  had  we  not  been  thus  engaged. 

"Brothers,  We  thank  the  Great  Spirit  for  pre- 
serving you  thus  far  on  your  long  journey,  and 
hope  he  will  conduct  you  safely  home,  and  fa- 
vour you  to  meet  with  your  women,  children, 
and  friends  in  health  :  we  shall  often  think  of 
you  whilst  on  your  journey,  and  desire  you  to 
inform  your  chiefs  at  home,  that  we  are  thankful 
for  the  sawmill  irons,  hoes,  axes,  ox-chains, 
&c.  which  they  have  given  us. 

**  Brothers,  we  hope  we  shall  give  more  atten- 
tion to  farming  than  we  have  hitherto  done  ;  we 
thank  you  for  your  advice  about  the  saw  mill, 
and  for  your  Friend's  consenting  to  remain  with 
us  awhile,  to  teach  some  of  our  people  to  work 
the  mill." 

By  a  letter  from  Friends  at  Genesangohta, 
dated  1st  Month   1802,  it  appears  three  young 


30 

Indians  discovered  a  willingness,  and  began  to 
work  at  the  smiths'  trade  in  the  11th  Month: 
two  of  them  have  been  steadily  engaged  most  of 
the  time  since,  and  for  so  short  a  period,  have 
made  considerable  improvement :  also  that  the 
Indians  at  Catarogus  make  out  pretty  well  in 
working  their  sawmill. 

The  following  paragraph  is  extracted  from 
a  letter  written  in  the  same  month  to  one  of  the 
Committee  :  "  Several  families  have  got  to  the 
number  of  six  and  seven  head  of  cattle,  with 
other  useful  animals,  who  had  not  any  when 
this  settlement  was  first  made,  owing  as  they 
now  tell  us,  to  their  great  excesses  in  the  use 
of  whiskey,  which  at  present  seems  much  de- 
clined ;  not  any  is  knowingly  suffered  to  be 
brought  into  the  settlements  on  this  river  :  and 
if  any  are  found  out  to  have  been  overtaken  with 
it,  when  among  the  whites,  they  are  sharply  re- 
primanded and  exposed  by  the  chiefs  at  their 
return.  This  has  nearly  the  same  effect  amongst 
Indians,  as  committing  a  man  to  the  workhouse 
among  white  people." 

In  a  letter  dated  5th  Month  30th,  to  the  Com- 
mittee, they  say,  "  The  present  season  has  fur- 
nished rather  greater  marks  of  encouragement 
than  has  heretofore  been  discovered  amongst 
the  natives  :  considerable  advancement  is  ma- 
king in   the  different  settlements  on  this  river. 


31 

in  works  of  industry  and  usefulness.  Eighteen 
or  twenty  thousand  rails  have  been  split  and 
put  up  by  the  natives  this  spring ;  and  thirteen  or 
fourteen  new  lots  enclosed  ;  most  of  which  have 
been  cleared  the  present  season." 

The  Indians  of  this  and  the  upper  settlement, 
have  opened  a  very  commodious  road  from  this 
place,  for  about  five  miles  up  the  river:  before  this 
road  was  opened,  the  way  was  difficult  for  man 
or  beast  to  pass.  Several  have  sowed  lots  of 
spring  wheat.  A  number  of  the  young  men 
belonging  to  Corn  planter's  town,  have  become 
quite  capable  of  doing  their  own  ploughing. 
The  resolution  against  the  introduction  of  strong 
liquor  continues  to  be  supported,  and  it  is  said 
the  Indians  of  Buffiiloe  creek,  have  also  made 
some  stand  against  it.  About  the  end  of  this 
year  the  smith  returned  home. 

In  the  9th  Month  1803,  four  of  the  Commit- 
tee again  visited  the  settlement ;  besides  inspect- 
ing into  the  state  of  Indian  improvements,  &c. 
they  were  authorised  to  make  a  change  in  the 
manner  of  conducting  the  aifairs  there.  Some 
of  the  Indians  had  encreased  their  stock  of  cat- 
tle faster  than  their  means  of  subsisting  them 
through  a  long  and  rigorous  winter  :  when  their 
hay  and  other  fodder  became  much  reduced  they 
applied  to  Friends  to  give  them  some:  these  re- 
quests could  not  be  complied  with  to  an  extent 


32 

proportioned  to  their  necessity,  without  redu- 
cing the  Friends  to  a  hke  state  of  want ;  and 
fearing  lest  in  future  winters  a  renewal  of  similar 
requests,  without  the  means  of  satisfying  them, 
might  disturb  that  harmony  which  had  hitherto 
subsisted  between  us  and  the  Indians,  it  was 
believed  safe  to  embrace  the  opportunity  which 
now  offered  of  purchasing  from  a  company  of 
white  people,  an  adjoining  tract  of  land,  and 
setthng  our  Friends  thereon. 

When  the  committee  arrived  there,  they  learn- 
ed that  at  a  late  council,  the  Indians  delivered  a 
speech  to  our  Friends,  expressing  their  willing- 
ness to  a  removal,  but  were  desirous  it  should 
not  be  far  up  the  river. 

After  fixing  with  the  Indians  the  time  for  a 
general  council  to  convene.  Friends  examined 
what  improvements  had  been  made  by  them ; 
and  also  went  to  view  the  land  on  a  creek  called 
Tunesassah,  which  falls  into  the  Alleghany  river 
on  the  east  side,  about  two  miles  above  Gene- 
sangohta.  Although  it  was  not  withhi  the  bounds 
offered  us  for  sale,  yet  as  it  belonged  to  the 
same  company,  no  doubt  was  entertained  but  it 
could  be  procured  ;  the  stream  was  found  suffi- 
cient to  work  a  mill,  and  it  was  believed  a  very 
good  farm  might  be  made  there,  the  situation 
for  our  pun^oses  being  superior  to  any  in  that 
neighbourhood.     The  following  is  the  purport 


of  what  passed  at  the  council  which  was  held  a'c 
Genesangohta: 

"  Brothers, 
"  We  wish  you  to  speak  your  minds  to  us 
quite  plain,  and  if  there  is  any  thing  which  does 
not  feel  easy  to  you,  that  you  will  tell  it  to  us. 

*'  Brothers,  we  have  seen  the  speech  made  by 
you,  at  one  of  your  late  councils,  to  our  Friends, 
by  which  we  understand  you  leave  them  at  full 
liberty  to  move  up  the  river  to  settle  on  land 
joining  to  yours. 

*'  Brothers,  since  we  came  here  we  have  been 
viewing  the  land,  and  think  if  we  can  purchase 
a  piece  on  Tunesassah  creek,  joining  to  yours,  it 
will  be  a  suitable  place  for  our  Friends  to  settle 
upon  ;  they  will  then  still  be  among  your  set- 
tlements. 

*' Brothers,  when  our  Friends  first  came  to  set- 
tle among  you,  we  told  you  the  tools  then 
brought,  should  be  for  your  use,  to  be  leait  a- 
mong  such  of  you  as  wanted  to  use  theni ;  they 
have  been  so  lent,  and  we  have  sent  others  for 
our  Friends  to  use  ^  when  our  friends  remove, 
such  of  the  first  parcel  of  the  tools  as  remain 
with  them  will  be  left  with  your  chiefs  to  be  lent 
Qut  for  the  good  of  the  nation. 
E 


34 

"  Brothers,  we  have  lent  some  blacksmiths- 
tools  to  the  smith  who  resides  at  the  upper  town, 
the  others  our  Friends  take  with  them  ;  but  the 
smith  who  lives  here  may  make  use  of  them  ; 
the  two  smiths  we  hope  are  now  able  to  do  near- 
ly all  the  smiths'  work  you  will  want. 

"  Brothers,  if  our  Friends  get  a  house  put  up 
before  winter,  suitable  for  their  accommodation, 
they  will  remove  from  the  one  they  now  live  in. 
The  barn  and  some  of  the  land  they  may  want 
another  summer,  as  perhaps  they  cannot  get 
land  enough  cleared  to  raise  grain  and  hay  for 
their  cattle  ;  you  will  agree  among  yourselves 
which  of  you  shall  live  here  when  our  Friends 
remove. 

"Brothers,  when  our  Friends  remove  they  will 
continue  to  give  you  assistance  and  instruction 
when  they  can,  if  they  think  you  stand  in  need 
of  it. 

"  Brothers,  we  understand  by  your  speech  to 
our  Friends,  that  you  want  them  to  bring  on 
tooli  'and  cloth  to  sell. 

"  Brothers,  we  do  not  want  to  keep  a  store  of 
goods  among  you  ;  we  think  it  will  be  best  not, 
but  we  intend  to  send  a  few  scythes,  sickles,  au- 
gers, and  some  such  tools,  for  our  Friends  to 
spU  to  such  of  vou  as  may  want  to  buy  ;   but  if 


55 

any  of  your  people  buy  from  them,  and  then  sell 
to  white  people,  they  are  not  to  sell  any  more  to 
such  as  do  so. 

*'  Brothers,  we  again  repeat  it,  we  wis-h  you  to 
speak  your  minds  freely  to  us,  and  if  there  is 
any  thing  which  you  and  we  do  not  understand 
alike,  that  you  will  tell  us,  as  it  is  our  wish  to 
comply  with  all  our  engagements." 

After  consulting  with  the  other  Indians,  Corn- 
planter  replied : 

"Brothers, 

*'  Your  speech  is  good,  containing  the  same 
language  Friends  have  always  spoken  to  us. 
We  know  the  time  talked  of  for  your  young 
men  to  live  among  us  has  passed  by,  and  no- 
thing been  said  on  either  side  ;  and  perhaps  that 
is  the  reason  why  you  want  to  purchase  a  piece 
of  land  joining  to  us.  Your  young  men  may  live 
where  they  now  do  as  long  as  you  please,  and  if 
you  cannot  purchase,  we  hope  they  will  continue 
to  live  where  they  now  do. 

''  Brothers,  when  your  Friends  first  came,  and 
for  a  long  time  after,  the  white  people  told  us, 
"  Keep  a  good  watch  on  them  Quakers,  they  are 
a  cunning  designing  people,  and  under  pre- 
tence of  doing  something  for  you,  want  to  get 
ahold  upon  you,  to  make  an  advantage  of  you 


36 

some  way  or  other."  But  of  late,  finding  t-iat  all 
was  straight  and  no  advantage  attempted  to  be 
taken,  they  had  left  off  talking  about  it. 

"  Brothers,  your  young  men  and  us  have  now 
lived  together  several  years  as  brothers  ;  when 
your  young  men  came,  the  Indians  were  very 
ignorant,  but  now  we  are  just  beginning  to  learn ; 
your  young  men  do  not  talk  much  to  us,  but 
when  they  do,  they  speak  what  is  good,  and  have 
been  very  helpful  in  keeping  us  from  using  spi- 
rituous liquors  ;   as  has  also  my  brother. 

"  Brothers,  you  have  desired  usto  agree  among 
ourselves  who  shall  live  in  this  house,  as  your 
young  men  expect  to  leav^  it  before  winter,  but 
Me  do  not  think  i  right  to  fix  on  any  one  yet, 
as  if  you  cannot  get  a  pi.ce  of  land  your  Friends 
V,  ill  want  it;  andifvou  do  buy  a  piece,  they 
may  not  get  a  house  up  fit  for  them  to  live  in 
before  winter,  and  then  they  would  want  it. 

"  Broth:  rs,  you  have  also  mentioned  that  you 
sho\! id  leave  all  the  buildings,  fences,  &:c.  here 
for  us  to  occupy  this  farm,  except  that  your 
Friends  would  want  the  barn  and  some  of  the 
land  to  get  fodder  and  raise  grain  next  summer, 
which  is  all  very  agreeable  to  us,  but  it  is  hard 
work  to  cut  down  so  many  trees  and  cfear  land 
to  raise  hay  and  grain,  therefore  they  may  Mant 
it  longer  than  next  summer,  and  if  they  do,  they 


37 

are  welcome  to  work  it  as  long  as  they  think 
they  have  occasion  for  it ;  so  it  will  be  time 
enough  to  make  choice  of  some  one  to  occupy 
this  house,  farm,  &c.  when  your  young  men  are 
comfortably  fixed  on  the  place  you  intend  them 
to  remove  to,  if  you  can  get  it. 

*'  Brothers,  we  will  appoint  some  of  our  people 
to  receive  the  tools  and  collect  such  as  are  lent ; 
and  have  charge  in  future  of  lending  them. 

"  Brothers,  it  is  true  in  our  speech  to  your 
young  men,  we  requested  them  to  bring  cloth, 
tools,  &c.  to  sell ;  but  Ave  think  you  have  come 
to  a  wise  conclusion  not  to  keep  a  store  among 
us,  as  some  dispute  or  difficulty  might  arise,  if 
a  store  was  kept,  between  your  young  men  and 
our  people.  We  are  obliged  to  you  for  your 
intention  of  sending  a  few  scythes,  augers,  &:c. 
to  sell  to  such  of  our  people  as  want  to  buy  ; 
and  are  pleased  our  people  are  not  to  sell  such 
things  again  to  the  white  people. 

"  Brothers,  weare  well  satisfied  withyour  con- 
duct towards  us,  you  have  always  done  what }  bu 
promised." 

An  old  chief  then  said  a  few  words  to  the  fol- 
lowing import : 


38 

'■'  Brothers, 

"  You  promised  to  endeavour  to  send  a 
smith  among  us.  After  sometime  you  did 
send  a  smith,  but  he  staid  only  a  short  time,  and 
two  or  three  of  our  young  men  who  began  to 
learn  the  business,  are  not  fully  learnt  :  now  you 
have  sent  on  a  smith  the  best  we  have  ever  seen, 
he  knows  how  to  make  all  things  we  want,  but 
he  has  been  only  a  little  while  with  us,  and  now 
says  he  is  going  away  :  we  desire  he  may  stay 
all  winter,  and  then  we  think  our  own  smiths  in 
that  time,  with  his  instruction,  will  be  able  to  do 
our  work,  and  now  they  cannot." 

To  this  the  Committee  replied,  that  the  Friend 
had  a  wife  and  family  at  home,  who  required  his 
attention,  therefore  they  could  not  press  him  to 
stay,  as  he  had  remained  with  them  as  long  as  he 
intended  when  he  left  home. 

Friends  believed  the  continued  sobriety  of  the 
natives,  and  their  improvement  in  habits  of  in- 
dustry, afforded  encouragement  to  persevere  in 
this  benevolent  work.  Several  families  having 
settled  themselves  about  two  miles  higher  up 
the  river  than  where  they  used  to  reside,  and 
cleared  and  fenced  about  sixty  acres  of  good 
land  ;  in  other  places  their  industry  was  noticed. 
The  road  the  Indians  have  opened  for  about 
twenty  two  miles  is  a  great  work  for  them  ;  it 
affords  a  much  better  communication  from  the 


39 

lower  to  the  upper  settlements,  by  land,  than  they 
used  to  have. 

From  thence  Friends  went  to  Catarogus,  where 
they  were  cordially  received  by  the  chiefs,  and 
had  the  satisfaction  of  noticing  very  great  im- 
provements ;  several  of  them  had  built,  and  were 
building  good  houses,  on  a  rich  flat,  about  a  mile 
from  their  old  village  ;  their  crop  of  corn  was 
large,  and  their  stock  of  cattle  increased  ;  and 
generally  speaking,  they  had  become  a  sober  peo- 
ple, most  of  them  having  for  a  long  time  refrain- 
ed from  the  use  of  whiskey  and  other  strong 
drink. 

The  following  is  extracted  from  the  speeches 
at  a  council  held  with  them  : 

The  chief  Sachem  said,  when  they  wanted  ad- 
vice on  any  matters  of  importance,  they  applied 
to  our  Friends  on  the  Alleghany  ;  that  they  air 
ways  found  their  advice  very  good,  and  when 
they  followed  what  Friends  recommended,  itan- 
swered  their  expectation. 

The  chief  warrior  afterw^ards  spoke  and  ad- 
verted to  our  kindness  in  supplying  them  with 
some  useful  articles  which  they  stood  in  need  of, 
and  for  which  they  were  very  thankful.  Now 
they  had  several  requests  to  make,  and  hoped  we 
would  attend  to  them  ;  the  first  was  for  a  smith's 


40 

bellows,  anvil,  vice,  Sec.  and  some  iron  ;  then 
one  of  their  people,  now  living  on  the  Alleghany 
river,  who  had  there  learned  to  be  a  blacksmith, 
would  come  home  and  work  for  them  :  they 
were  beginning  to  farm  a  little,  and  found  their 
tools  often  wanted  repairs,  and  when  they  went 
to  Buffaloe,  which  was  a  long  journey,  to  get  any 
thing  mended,  they  had  sometimes  to  wait  two 
or  three  days  before  they  could  get  the  little  they 
wanted  done,  as  the  smith  did  the  work  for  the 
people  he  lived  among  before  theirs  ;  and  to  go 
to  Alleghany  was  further  :  they  also  wanted  ano- 
ther plough.  We  had  supplied  them  with  one 
which  was  very  useful,  and  made  some  of  their 
land  produce  much  better  than  before  they  had  it: 
in  the  spring  many  wanted  it,  and  all  could  not 
have  it,  therefore  some  said  they  had  no  good 
of  the  Quakers'  present,  but  if  we  would  give 
them  another  set  of  plough  irons,  they  could  be 
nearly  all  accommodated. 

We  had  helped  them  to  one  pair  of  oxen,  and 
they  had  bought  another  themselves,  and  we 
might  think  as  they  had  an  annuity  they  might 
help  themselves  to  many  things,  but  their  annu- 
ity would  not  near  clothe  them  ;  and  in  buying 
their  oxen,  &,c.  dieir  women  and  children  had 
gone  more  naked  than  they  wished  ;  now  they 
had  got  over  it.  Formerly  they  could  by  hunt- 
ing supply  themselves  with  meat  and  clothing, 
but  white  people  were  setding  so  all  round  them, 


41 

the  game  was  getting  scarce,  and  they  were  now 
endeavouring  to  farm  thelittle  land  they  had  left, 
and  hoped  they  should  live  more  comfortably, 
but  were  so  poor  they  stood  in  need  of  help ; " 
therefore  wished  us  to  give  them  another  pair  of 
oxen,  and  then  they  could  break  up  some  of  their 
land  which  had  not  been  broken,  and  make  their 
farms  larger,  which  they  wanted  to  do. 

They  were  informed theirrequestforthesmith's 
tools  and  plough  irons  would  be  complied  with  ; 
and  when  the  tools  came  on,  if  the  smith  belong- 
ing to  their  tribe  would  work  for  them,  Friends 
on  the  Alleghany  would  give  them  some  iron. 
The  oxen  they  could  buy  themselves,  for  they 
must  learn  to  help  themselves;  some  further 
advice  adapted  to  their  situation  was  oifered,  and 
•appeared  to  be  well  received. 

In  the  evening  when  Friends  were  sitting  with 
the  chief  warrior,  he  said  he  wished  to  ask  them 
a  question,  but  was  almost  afraid  ;  they  desired 
him  to  speak,  and  they  would  give  him,  such  in- 
formation as  they  were  able  :  it  was,  Do  the  Qua- 
kers keep  any  slaves  ?  he  was  told  they  did  not : 
he  said  he  was  very  glad  to  hear  it,  for  if  they 
had  kept  any,  he  could  not  think  so  well  of  them 
as  he  now  did.  That  he  had  been  at  the  city  of 
Washington  last  winter,  on  business  of  the  nation, 
F 


and  found  many  white  people  kept  blacks  in  sla^ 
very,  and  used  them  no  better  than  horses. 

Friends  visited  the  Senecas  at  Buffaloe  creek, 
and  found  a  sawmill  just  finished,  for  which 
We  had  supplied  them  with  the  irons  :  a  visit 
was  also  made  to  the  Tonew^antas.  At  both  places, 
and  particularly  the  latter,  many  had  left  off  the 
tise  of  whiskey  and  other  strong  drink,  and  were 
improving  in  habits  of  industry. 

A  contract  was  entered  into  for  the  land  on 
Tunesassah  creek,  and  Friends  at  Genesangoh- 
ta  made  a  temporary  house,  and  removed  there 
before  winter. 

By  a  letter  From  one  of  the  Friends  dated  4th 
Month  21st,  1804,  we  are  informed  the  Indians 
are  generally  removed  from  the  lower  town,  and 
settHng  higher  up  the  river,  several  of  them  not 
far  from  Tunesassah ;  this  removal  may  put  them 
to  some  inconvenience  the  present  year,  but  will 
probably  prove  eventually  much  to  their  advan- 
tage, especially  those  who  have  fixed  themselves 
detached  from  their  little  towns. 

As  the  Indians  had  experienced  difficulty  in 
getting  their  little  crops  of  wheat  ground,  there 
being  no  mill  near  them,  after  the  consent  of  the 
Yearly  Meeting  was  obtained,  measures  were 
taken  to  have  a  grist  and   saw  mill  erected  at 


43 

Tunesassah;  and  the  Friend  who  had  been  so  ac- 
ceptably with  the  Indians  the  j^ear  before,  offered 
to  devote  a  further  portion  of  his  time  amongst 
them  to  make  the  iron  work  for  the  mills,  and  in- 
struct the  Indian  blacksmiths  more  perfectly  in 
the  business  ;  he  remained  with  them  during  the 
summer  and  fall,  and  by  a  letter  received  from 
our  Friends  there,  dated  1 1th  Month  7th,  we  are 
informed,  that  the  saw  mill  is  in  operation  and^ 
promises  well,  and  the  grist  mill  is  expected  to 
be  finished  in  a  few  weeks  ;  and  a  house  is  build- 
ing for  the  comfortable  accommodation  of  a  fami- 
ly. A  Friend  and  his  wife,  if  she  have  the  aid  of 
pne  or  two  female  companions,  it  is  believed  may 
be  very  usefully  employed  in  instructing  the  In- 
dian women  in  various  branches  of  domestic 
oeconomy,  with  which  they  are  now  much  un- 
acquainted, and  to  which  until  lately  they  had  not 
leisure  to  give  much  attention  :  as  the  men  be- 
come more  of  farmers,  the  women  have  less 
drudgery  to  perform,  and  unless  their  improve- 
ment is  encouraged  and  promoted,  it  may  retard 
the  progress  of  both. 

The  following  are  extracted  from  letters,  lately 
received,  dated  2d  Month  10th,  and  3d  Month 
3d,  14th,  15th. 

^'Neither  of  the  mills  are  completely  finished 
owing  to  the  coldness  of  the  season,  yet  both  so 
asto  do  business.  The  Indians  have  hadconsid(^r- 


44 

able  grinding  done,  and  appear  highly  pleased 
to  see  the  grain  reduced  to  meal  so  much  quick- 
er than  pounding  it  in  their  wooden  mortars ;  a 
pretty  ingenious  Indian  man,  after  having  a  grist 
of  wheat  of  his  own  raising  ground  and  bolted, 
said  with  animation,  "I  think  this  will  make  the 
Indians  see  day  light." 

"  It  Is  pleasin  g  to  find  a  disposition  for  improve- 
ment continues  to  prevail  amongst  the  younger 
class  of  Indians  ;  divers  have  noAV  considerable  of 
corn  to  sell ;  they  often  express  the  satisfaction 
they  feel  in  seeing  the  fruits  of  their  own  indus- 
try, and  frequently  observe  that  when  they  fol- 
lowed drinking  whiskey  they  could  hardly  clothe 
themselves,  but  by  industry  they  now  find  their 
substance  begins  to  increase. 

*'  The  continued  resolution  of  these  Indians 
against  the  use  of  spirituous  liquors,  conduces 
much  to  the  introduction  and  increase  of  civiliz- 
ed habits,  and  it  is  obvious  that  it  has  an  improv- 
ing effect  on  the  other  settlements  of  the  Seneca 
nation. 

<'  Thev  often  come  to  seeus,  and  appear  well  sa- 
tisfied \Aith  what  is  doing ;  our  intercourse  with 
them  here  is  much  more  satisfactory  than  when 
•we  lived  at  the  old  place,  and  not  subject  to  the 
embarrassment  we  were  frequently  under  when 


45 

there.  The  change  I  have  no  doubt  will  be  found 
advantageous  in  many  respects. 

"  The  lateheavy  rains,  together  with  the  melting 
of  the  snow,  have  produced  the  greatest  flood  in 
the  Alleghany  and  adjacent  streams,  that  has 
ever  been  known  by  any  of  the  natives  ;  our  mills 
have  not  suflfered  any  injury,  being  quite  safe  from 
high  water ;  several  rods  of  the  race  bank  is  car- 
ried away,  and  the  dam  something  injured.  The 
Indians  have  lost  most  if  not  quite  all  their  fenc- 
es ;  it  is  very  satisfactory  to  find  that  instead  of 
being  discouraged  by  their  losses,  they  have 
joined  together  in  companies  very  spiritedly, 
and  have  already  got  a  great  many  rails  made." 

Signed  by  direction,  and  on  behalf  of  the 
Committee. 

THOMAS   WISTAR,    Clerk. 
Philadelphia^  4th  Month  11th,  1805. 


THE    END. 


I 


r'''1iiltfiHtf''-"''"''^1T 


X^' 


4^^-^ 
•^t.^^" 


f^^^#/>: 


^--^'^^  -^ 


.^.    'r 


J-  ■' 


^SS^" 


^!^> 


-  j>^ 


V^.Ah 


.i-«§ 


# 


*'^-^. 
A        ^/^^' 


^%^ 


;.# 


